Coupling devices of mortar-type guns



Jan. 7, 1958' A. E. sALoRANTA E'l- AL 2818730 coUPLING DEvIcEs oF MoRTAR-TYPE GuNs 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 27, 1954 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I L I /M/U' Jan. 7, 1958 A. E. SALORANTA ET AL COUPLING DEVICES OF MORTAR-TYPE GUNS 4 SheetS-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1954 Jan. 7, 1958 A. E. sALoRANTA ETAL 2813780 COUPLING DEVICES OF MORTAR-TYPE GUNS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 27, 1854 Jan. 7, 1958 A. E. sALoRANTA ETAL 2,818780 COUPLING DEVICES OF MORTAR-TYPE GUNS Filed Dec. 27, 19574 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2,8%,78 Patented Jan. 7, 1958 ice ooUPLING Dnvicns or MoRTAR-TYPE GUNs Arvo Ensio Saloranta and Martti Ensio Saloranta, Helsingfors, Finland Application December 27, 1954, Serial No. 477,848

6 Claims. (Cl. 89-37) This invention relates to a coupling meohanism for mortar-type `guns of the class in which the gun barrel has a ball-shaped pivot at its rear end, which is flattened on one side or 'on two sides, preferably opposite to each other, and in which a base member upon which the gun bar-tel is adapted to stand, general'ly made as a plate which could be called a ground plate, being provided with a socket shaped as a segment of a sphere corresponding to the ball-shaped end pivot of the gun barrel for receiving the same.

In mortars of this class and of the construction gener- .ally used ;there Vare two lugs provided on opposite sides of the socket and fot-med so as to merge in the .material hounding the socket., the arrangement being such that the end pivot can be inserted between the two lugs when presenting the flat-tened sides towards the same, but when rotated through a certain angle cannot be withdrawn from the ball socket, because the lugs protnude over the ballshaped portion of the end pivot .and serue as looking means.

However, these well-known looking :lugs cause the ldisadvantage that the sector within which ythe direction of the fire can be var-ied horizontally without .change of the position .of the base member `or ground plate, `is limited to an angle of few degrees.

The object of -the inven-tion is to provide an `ir-nproved mortar arrangement which by :simple means seoures a relia-ble -couph'ng of Vthe gun barrel with the base member -or ground plate and by which the directi'on of the -fire 'easily can be varied within a horizontal Sector extending nearly 'over the en-tire horizon, and, in any event over more than'l8(), no change of the position of the rbase member or ground plate being necessary said sec-tor.

This is, laccording to an essential feature -of the invenztion, attained by 'the 'prov'ision of a rockab'le, riggid coupling element mounted on the base member .or ground plate at :points on ,'opposite 'sides of the 'socket for roc'lcing movement on an axis eX-tending above the ;socket -n a pet'zpendicular plane including the centre of the socket, said 'conpling Ielement having a 'concave spherical surface for zcontacti'ng the ballshaped end pivot, which ycontact surface together with .the .inside of the socket Vcovers a centric angle ,greater lthan -18.0, for holding the end pivot in 'connect-ion with lthe base member or ground plate.

Further objects :and yfeatures of the inventionf will .appear from the following description when read ,in mnjunction with the accompanying dr-awings lin which three ernbodiments of the ,invention are 'illus-trated .by \way of example, :and in which:

Fig. 1 `shows 'a vertical cross-section through the ball socket of the ground plate together With lthe ball-shaped end pivot of the gun barrel :of the mort-ar and a coupling device according to the -first lembodiment of the invention, while Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan. In this embodiment, the ground plate is ;of the type in which the centre of the ball socket is on 'a 'level With the upper side of the ground plate;

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through the arrangement according tov the second 'embodimen said cross-section being similar to that of Fig. 1, while Fig. 4 is plan corresponding to Fig. 3. In this emhoditnent, the ground plate is of the type in which the centre of the ball socket lies at a distance above the upper side of the ground plate;

Figs. 5 and 6 are two perpendicularly related elevations of the third embodiment, partly in a cross-section, this embodiment being in principle similar to that of Figs. 3 and 4 but modified in some respects;

Fig. 7 illustrates a well-known .arrangement of a mortar together with leg support and ground plate, the lastmentioned member being provided with a coupling device according to Figs. 3 and 4.

In all three embodiments, reference numeral 1 indicates the ground plate of the mortar, 2 is a bail constituting the rockable conpling element, 3 the ball-shaped pivot provided on the lower or rear end of the gun barrel, 4 two journals constituting the axis of rocking of the ooupling bail, and 5 lugs .on the ground plate, in which said two journ'als are screwed and which may be ears we'lded to the ground plate. In the first two embodiments the ball-shaped end pivot has only one fiattened surface 3a, while in the third em'bodiment two opposite flattened surfaces 3a are provided.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2, the axis of rocking of the coup'ling bail '2 extends on a level higher than'the centre C of the ball socket, said centre being substanti'al-ly .on a level with the upper surface of the ground plate. Thus, the axis of rocking eXtends in a plane approximately at right angles to the ground plate, which plane includes also the centre of the socket. Moreover, the ground plate has two looking members in the form of stationary lugs '7 on opposite sides of the ball socket, which lugs may be `welded to the ground plate. Said lugs are provided for looking the coupling bail in either one -of two vend positions of the bail when rocked down upon the ground plate, preferably 'by engagemen-t of the looking lugs with either of two corresponding projections 6-on .the coupling bail. The bail is mounted with a free motion on the journals 4 such that the bail, when the gun barrel has been removed from the ground plate, 'can he moved to and from .engagement with the respective looking lug 7 by a sliding motion along the surface of the vground plate, so that the bail can be shifted over from one position to the opposite one. Preferably, said free motion or play is provided by mounting the bail on the jonrnals 4 by means of elongated apertures 2a. The bail has two concave spherical surfaces 2b facing towards the ball socket and provided for contacting the ball-shaped endpivot of the gun barrel. Said contact surfaces 'have the same radius of curvature as the ball socket and they are disposed such that in one end position of the 'bail one contact surface 2b constitutes a prolongation or extension of the socket at one side of :the same and in the other end position the other contact surface 2'b 'const'itutes an extension of the socket at the opposite vside -of the sarne.

The device according to Figs. 1 and 2 is used and acts in the following manner:

Prior to the mounting of the gun barrel upon the ground plate the coupling bail is set to engagement with one of the two locking lugs 7, as will appear from the drawing. Now, the gun barrel is coupled with the ground plate by inserting the end pivot into the ball socket, the end pivot during this insertion being held in such a position that the fiattened surface 3a faces towards the middle portion of the bail. Then, the gun barrel is rotated through an angle such that the fiattened surface is directed from the middle portion of the bail, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2. Thereby, the gun barrel is locked so that it cannot raise from its engagement with the ground plate. Evidently, the ball socket and the curved contact surface on the bail together must enclose a centric angle a of more than 180, in other words the distance B-B' in Fig. 1 must be smaller than the diameter of the ball-shaped end pivot, for securing the connection of the gun barrel with the ground plate. By raising the upper portion of the gun barrel together with leg support and displacing the same the horizontal direction of the gun can be varied within a sector which is larger than 180, in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 approximately 230, the fiattened surface always facing vin the front direction, that is, the direction of firing, and no changes of the position of the ground plate being necessary. With the exception of such angular position of the gun barrel, in which the same can be withdrawn from the ground plate, the -horizontal sector in which the direction of fire can be vared is limited only by the fact that the neck of the end pivot in certain angular positions will contact the bail. When it is desired to direct the gun barrel within the remaining sector of the horizon, the gun barrel is rotated until the fiattened surface is exactly in front of the middle portion of the bail, so that the gun barrel can be withdrawn from the ball socket of the ground plate. Then, the bail is shifted over to its opposite position and the gun barrel is again inserted and locked, as already described.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 3 and 4, the axis of rocking the coupling bail 2 extends through the centre of the ball socket, said centre preferably lying higher than the upper side of the ground plate, especial stationary locking means 7 for the coupling bail being superfluous, and so are also projections 6. Nor is it necessary to mount the bail slidably on the journals 4. In this embodiment the bail has only one single contact surface 2b. constituting a prolongation of the surface of the ball socket at one side or the other of the same.

In the embodiment according to Figs. and 6, the laterally widened coupling bail 2 is provided VWith a slot 2a extending in parallel with the axis of rocking. The neck of the end pivot 3 extends through said slot which thereby embraces the neck from opposite sides. Thus, the bail takes part in the movement of the end pivot when the gun barrel is turned perpendicularly to the bail. The end pivot is fiattened at two opposite sides, as indicated by 3a.

Also the embodiments according to Figs. 1 to 4 may be used in connection With mortars in which the ballshaped end pivot is fiattened at two opposite sides. The conditions are similar to those described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, except that the gun barrel must be rotated maximally only 90 for being withdrawn or assembled.

It should be observed that a device according to the invention can be utilized also in connection With ground plates already adapted for use. When the end pivot of the associated gun barrel has two fiattened surfaces, one of said surfaces can be filled up by a suitably shaped body, if required.

It should be understood that the invention is not restricted to the embodiments illustrated which may be modified without exceeding the scope of the clairns.

What we claim is:

1. A coupling device for mortar-type guns having a gun barrel provided with a ball-shaped end pivot at its rear end, which is fiattened on at least one side, and a base member upon which the gun barrel stands, said base member being provided with a socket, shaped as a segment of a sphere corresponding to the ball-shaped end pivot of said barrel, for receiving the same, said coupling device comprising a rockable, rigid coupling element mounted on said base member at points on opposite sides of said socket for rocking movement on an axis extending above said socket in a plane including the center of the socket, said coupling element having a concave spherical surface for contacting the ball-shaped end pivot, which contact surface together with the inside of the socket covers a centric angle larger than 2. A coupling device in mortar type guns having a gun barrel provided With a ball-shaped end pivot at its rear end, said end pivot being fiattened on at least one side, and a 'base member upon which said gun barrel stands, said base member being provided with a socket shaped as a segment of a sphere corresponding to the ball-shaped end pivot of said barrel for receiving the same, said coupling device comprising a rockable coupling bail mounted on the base member at points on opposite sides of said socket for rocking m-ovement on an axis extending over the center of said socket and on a level higher than said center, said coupling bail having two concave spherical surfaces for ycontacting the ballshaped end pivot, each of said contact surfaces together with the inside -of said socket covering a centric angle larger than 180, and two locking members provided on opposite sides of said socket for locking said coupling bail in either one of two end positions of said coupling bail when rocked down upon the base member.

3. A coupling device as claimed in claim 2, in which said locking members are stationary lugs on said base member, and the coupling bail is mounted with a free motion on journals on the base member such that, upon removal of the gun barrel from the base member, the coupling bail can be moved to and from engagement with the respective looking lug.

4. A coupling device for mortar-type guns having a gun barrel provided with a ball-shaped end pivot at its rear end, said pivot being fiattened on at least `one side, a base member upon which said barrel stands when assembled, said base member being provided with a socket, shaped as a segment of a Sphere corresponding to the ball-shaped end pivot of said band for receiving the same, said coupling device comprising a `coupling bail rockably mounted on said base member at points on opposite sides of said socket for rocking movement on an aXis extending through the center of said socket, said coupling bail having a concave spherical surface for contacting the ball-shaped end pivot, which contact surface together With the inside of said socket covers a centric angle larger than 180.

5. A coupling device for mortar type guns having a gun barrel provided with a ball-shaped end pivot at its rear end, said pivot being fiattened ion `at least one side, a base member upon which said barrel stands, said base member being provided with a socket, shaped .as a segment of a sphere corresponding to the ball-shaped end pivot of said gun barrel, for receiving the same, said socket having its center at a distance above said base member, said coupling device comprising a coupling bail rockably mounted on said base member at points `on opposite sides of said socket for rocking movement on an axis extending through the center of said socket, said coupling bail having a concave spherical surface for contacting said ball-shaped end pivot, which contact surface together with the inside of the socket covei's a centric angle larger than 180.

6. A coupling device for mortar-type guns having a gun barrel provided with a ball-shaped end pivot'at its rear end having a neck portion, said pivot being fiattened 5 at two opposite sides, a base member upon which said gun barrel stands, said base member being provided with a socket shaped as a segment of a sphere corresponding 'to the ball-shaped end pivot of said barrel for receiving the same, said coupling device comprising a coupling bail rockably mounted on said base member at points on opposite sides of said socket for rocking movernent on an axis extending through the center of said socket, said coupling bail having a concave spherical surface for contacting said ball-shaped end pivot, which contact surface together with the inside of the socket covers a centric angle larger than 180, said coupling bail also being provided with a slot extending parallel with the axis of rocking and embracing said neck portion of said end pivot from opposite sides.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 299,218 Gruson May 27, 1884 1,730,800 Brandt Oct. 8, 1929 2,459,182 Ross Jan. 18, 1949 2,557,960 Gerhardt June 26, 1951 2,558,024 Weiss et al. June 26, 1951 

